More than 150 suspected illegal miners were arrested on Tuesday after Gauteng police, the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) and Sibanye Protection Services launched a large-scale operation at the Losberg section of the Kloof Mine near Westonaria.
The multi-agency operation, known as Operation Prosper, forms part of an ongoing national campaign to dismantle illegal mining syndicates and transnational criminal networks operating across South Africa’s mining regions.
Gauteng police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko confirmed the arrests, saying the operation was aimed at combating illegal mining and organised crime in the area.
“More than 150 suspects have been arrested for illegal mining-related offences,” she said, adding that the operation was still under way at the time of publication and the crime scene remained active.
The Kloof Mine, located on the West Wits Line of the Witwatersrand Basin between Westonaria and Randfontein, is one of Sibanye-Stillwater’s major gold mining operations. The participation of Sibanye Protection Services highlights the continued collaboration between mining companies and law enforcement agencies to remove illegal miners from active and abandoned shafts.
Tuesday’s raid is the latest in a series of Operation Prosper deployments across Gauteng. The province is currently supported by 550 SANDF members, who are expected to remain deployed until April 30, 2027, as part of an R80 million security operation targeting illegal mining.
In March, police and soldiers raided suspected illegal mining sites near Randfontein before expanding operations to Kagiso and Rietvallei, where authorities targeted criminal networks linked to illicit mining activities.
Westonaria has been a key focus of the crackdown. On June 3, 43 suspects were arrested during an earlier operation in the area. Weeks before that, coordinated raids across Johannesburg, the West Rand and Ekurhuleni resulted in 36 arrests, the seizure of 16 illegal firearms, more than 800 rounds of live ammunition and mining equipment.
The current phase of Operation Prosper was authorised by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who approved the deployment of 2,200 soldiers across five provinces to intensify the fight against illegal mining.
It follows an earlier version of the operation launched in 2023, during which 3,300 security personnel temporarily cleared around 6,500 illegal miners from affected sites. While many of those operations initially disrupted mining syndicates, illegal activity resumed soon after security forces withdrew.
The Minerals Council South Africa has previously estimated that illegal mining costs the industry about R7 billion annually in lost revenue, while also depriving the state of billions of rand in taxes and royalties.
The dangers associated with illegal mining were brought into sharp focus during the Stilfontein operation in late 2024.
Authorities blockaded the Buffelsfontein mine shaft, cutting off supplies to thousands of miners believed to be underground.
The operation ended in January 2025 with 78 confirmed deaths and 246 survivors, although community organisations have maintained that additional bodies may still remain underground.
Beyond its economic impact, illegal mining continues to pose serious public safety risks. Recent reports have warned that illegal sand mining may have weakened bridge support structures along Johannesburg’s M2 highway, raising concerns about potential infrastructure failures.
Police said investigations into Tuesday’s arrests at the Losberg Kloof Mine are continuing. The charges facing those arrested are expected to be confirmed once the suspects have been processed.
IOL NewsÂ
Karabo Ngoepe
iol.co.za
